Fleeting mechanism for crushing rolls



Jan. 19, 1965 H. H. PICK ETAL 3,166,257

FLEETING MECHANISM FOR CRUSHING ROLLS Filed Dec. 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l /5 4 w F/G. 2 i /7 INVENTO HANS H. PCK

. U BY NORMAN STANLEY ATTORNEYS Jan. 19, 1965 H. H. PICK ETAL FLEETING MECHANISM FOR CRUSHING ROLLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1962 INVENTOR. HANS H. PICK NORMAN STANLEY m ATTORNEYS 3,166,257 FLEETING MECHANISM- FOR CRUSHING ROLLS Hans H. Pick and Norman Stanley, Salt Lake City, Utah, assignors to Kennecott Copper Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 243,876 6 Claims. (Cl. 241-205) This invention relates to devices for equalizing wear on the grinding surfaces of roll crushers by causing fleeting or axial displacement of the rolls with respect to each other.

This type of crusher is widely used for reducing the size of ore materials, which are usually hard and abrasive. Wear on the roll surfaces occurs more rapidly at some areas than at others. This is due to various factors, for example the manner in which the material to be crushed is fed into the crusher and variations in the composition of the material being, crushed. It can be easily appreciated that such uneven wear will result in non-uniform products and will necessitate early roll replacement.

In order to overcome such difficulty, roll type crushers have been equipped with various arrangements of mechanism for shifting one or more of the crushing rolls axially relative to the other or others. This axial shifting of the rolls presents fresh wear surfaces and tends to equalize the wear over extended periods of use. However, most of these arrangements require that the crusher be completely shut down for eachshifting of a roll or rolls. It can be easily realized that these interferences with production are uneconomical.

In at least one instance, axial shifting of rolls has been carried out automatically on a continuing basis, which overcomes the diificulty of Work stoppages and, from this standpoint, is highly desirable. But this arrangement is activated by gearing tied in with the roll drive. This is undesirable, because the roll shifting follows a predetermined pattern which is repeated time and time again and results in a set wear pattern on the grinding surfaces of the rolls. Such arrangement is very little better, if at all, than providing no shift for the rolls.

In accordance with this invention, the difliculties encountered in previous roll type crushers equipped with fleeting or shifting mechanisms are avoided by providing a reciprocating and rotatable thrust member operable to transmit axial thrust forces to a thrust collar mounted on the roll to be moved. The thrust member and the thrust collar rotate independently of one another, and the collar is fixed to the roll to rotate and move axially therewith.

Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred specific embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a roll crusher embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2, a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4, an end elevation looking from the right in FIG. 3 with parts in background eliminated and with Patented Jan. 19, 196,5

an alternative position ofmovable parts shown in dotted lines;

FIG. 5, a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 a schematic showing of a control system for, operating the fleeting mechanism periodically.

Referring now to the drawings: In the illustrated construction, a conventional roll crusher is equipped with two crushing rolls 10 and 1 1.

These are fixed to shafts 12 and 13, respectively, and.

the shaftsare rotatably mountedin bearings of fixed bearing housings 18, 18a, 19, and'19z z. The rolls are rotated towards each other in conventional fashion, by suitable motor means, not shown, which turn pulleys 1-4 and 15, fixed to the respective shafts. Material to be crushed is fed to the rolls through feed opening 16 of hopper 17.

A pair of identical fleeting devices are attached to the ends of roll shafts 12 and 13 and bearing housings 18 and 19, in a manner to be more explicity described.

These devices serve to shift. the crushing rolls 10 and 11 axially and in opposite directions to obtain a, maximum fleeting displacement, or axial shifting with respect to each other. 1

The fleeting device 29, shown connected to roll shaft 13 and bearing housing 19 in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises a threaded thrust collar 21 which. is threaded onto the roll shaft 19 and is. then keyed to the shaft by keyway 22 and key 23. Consequently the roll shaft and thrust collar act as one uni-t and move together in both rotary and axial movements.

A pair of bearing washers 2 4 and 25 are placed onopposite sides of the thrust collar and providebearing. surfaces against which the thrust collar may rotate. A male. thrust washer assembly surrounds the thrust collar and bearing washers and engages the opposite bearing surfacesrof the bearing Washers.

The male thrust washer assembly comprises a body portion 26 which circumferentially" surrounds the thrust collar and, the bearing washers andengages bearing Washer 24. In addition, the body portion 26 has an extension which is exteriorly threaded, as at 27, for engagement with the interiorthreads of a female thrust,

washer to be described. The. body portion 26 of the male thrust washer is maintained in engagement with hearing washer 24 by means of end plate 28, which is fixed to body portion 26 bypositioning lugs 29 and bolts 29a. End plate 28 engages bearing washer 25 in, such amanner that the male thrust washer assembly interior threads 31 of a female thrust washer 30. This.

washer includes a threaded collar portion 32 fixedly engaging the bearing housing 19, as shown at 33.

From the above description it can be seen that roller shaft 13. and attached thrust collar 21 can rotate independently of operation of the thrust washer assembly 26 or thrust washer 30. It can also be seen that rotation of the male thrust washer assembly will cause an axial force to be transmitted through the thrust collar 21 to roller shaft 13 and the roll 11, as the male thrust washer assembly screws into, or out of, the female thrust washer. V

Although it is apparent that other means could be employed to rotate the male thrust washer, a double-acting hydraulic motor is preferred. This consists of a cylinder 34, pivotally mounted, as by pivot pin 35, between arms 36 and 37, which arms are advantageously fixed to the female thrust member, a piston 38, FIG. 5, and piston, rod 39. Piston rod 39 has a tubular end piece 40 ex- 7 tending normally to the rod, and is pivotally connected to lever arm 26a of the male thrust washer assembly. In making the pivotal connection, a ball bearingbushing 41 is positioned to surround a pivot pin 42. The tubular end piece 40 is placed over the ball bearing bushing,

the lever arm 26a is connected to the pivot pin and abuts shoulder 43 formed theneon. Nut 44 is provided to hold the assembly together. At the other end of the pivot pin, head 42a is formed with extension 42b extending in surrounding and guiding relationship with the tubular end piece 4%. The length of the pivot pin from shoulder 43 to head 42a is greater than the length of the tubular end piece 40 by an amount equal to at least the desired fleeting displacement of the crushing roll to be moved.

With a connection of the type above described it can be seen that extension or retraction of rod 39 will act through lever arm 26a to rotate the male thrust washer assembly. As the male thrust washer assembly is rotated it is screwed info or out of the female thrust washer, thus additionally moving in anaxial direction. The male thrust washer assembly is able to move axially without binding the piston rod because as the lever arm moves axially it lines to the illustrated dotted line position.

As has been previously explained, rotary motion of the male thrust washer assembly 26 causes it to screw into or out of the female thrust washer 30 and to transmit an axial movement through thrust collar 21 to roll shaft '13, to thereby cause fleeting, or axial shifting of roller 11 with respect to roll .10. v

Reciprocation of piston 38 and piston rod 39 of the hydraulic motor is controlled by a valve 46, which may be manually operated, but preferably is continuously and periodically changed in accordance with a signal from timer 50. To provide for extension of the piston rod, valve 46 is set to allow communication between a source of hydraulic supply and a flexible hose 47 connected to the cylinder 34 at the end opposite rod 39. At the same time flexible hose 48 from the end of cylinder 34 through which the rod extends is connected through valve 46 to a waste port 49. When the piston rod is to be retracted, valve 46 is repositioned to connect hose 45 with the source of supply, and hose 44 is connected to waste.

With the control system illustrated in FIG. 6, the rolls and 111 are automatically shifted axially in opposite directions at intervals depending upon the setting of timer 50, without necessitating work stoppages.

Since the male thrust washer 26 rotates independentl of rotation of shaft 13 and has independent rotation inducing means,- it can be operated even when the roll shaft 13 is rotating. Additionally, the wear pattern on the grinding surface of roll 11 maybe varied merely by starting operation of the fleeting mechanism at various points of rota tion of the roll, or by varying the speed of axial travel of the male thrust washer. The speed could easily be varied, for example, by regulating the size openings of hoses 47 and 48 connected to cylinder 41'.

Although the fleeting mechanism above described has been shown in detail connectedto axially shift only one roll, it is obvious that such a mechanism can be employed to shift each roll in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. When two such fleeting devices are employed, the fleeting mechanisms can both be operated by the same control system, and, since the rolls would at all times be shifting in opposite directions, the fleeting displacement y shown in FIG. 1 would obviously be greater than if only one such mechanism were utilized.

Similarly, although the invention has been disclosed above as embodying a single fleeting mechanism per roll shaft, operated by a double acting hydraulic motor, it is apparent thattwo single and oppositely acting hydraulic motors could be employed for each shaft, being arranged such that one cylinder would serve to shift the roll shaft in one direction and the other would return the shaft.

Whereas this invention is hereinillustrated and described with reference to certain presently preferred structural forms thereof, it should be understood that other forms may be produced in accordance with the teachings hereof, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the generic concepts of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A roll crusher comprising a plurality of mutually coacting crushing rolls mounted on respective shafts for rotation relative to one another; and fleeting means for axially shifting one of the rolls relative to another, said fleeting means including means to cyclically shift said one roll along its axis independently of the rotation of its shaft, and hydraulic control means to regulate the operation of said means to cyclically shift said one roll along its axis. v

2. The roll crusher of claim 1, wherein the shafts rotate iniixed bearing housings; and the means to shift the roller along its axis includes a male thrust washer circumferentially surrounding its shaft and independently rotatable therea'boutpsaid male thrust washer having an exteriorly threaded portion, means fixing said male thrust washer to said shaft for axial movement therewith, and a female thrust member fixed to the bearing housing of said shaft and having interior threads for cooperating with the exterior threads of the male thrust washer.

3. The roll crusher of claim 2, wherein the means fixing the male thrust washer to the shaft includes a thrust collar fixed to said shaft; and wherein bearing means are provided between said thrust collar and said male thrust washer.

4. A roll crusher having two mutually coating crushing rollers mounted on respective shafts for rotation relative to one another, fleeting means for axially shifting each of the rollers opposite to the shifting of the other roller, said pair of fleeting means each including means to cyclica-lly shift said rollers along their axes independently of the rotation of said shafts, and a single control means to regulate the operation of both said means to cyclically shift said rollers along their axes.

5. A roll crusher, comprising a plurality of mutually coacting, crushing rolls mounted on respective shafts for rotation relative .to one another; fixed bearing housings in which said shafts rotate; a threaded male thrust washer cir'cumferentially surrounding one of said shafts and being independently rotatable thereabout; a thrust collar flxed to 7 said one shaft; bearing means positioned between said thrust collar and said male washer; a female thrust member fixed to the bearing housing of said one shaft and having threads for cooperating with the threads of the male thrust washer; a lever arm protruding outwardly from said male thrust washer; hydraulic motor means, including a housing, a piston in said housing, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending through said housing at one end thereof, and a pair of liquid supply and exhaust ports at opposite ends of said housing, said housing being pivotally connected, adjacent the end through which the piston rod extends, to the female thrust washer, and said piston rod being pivotally connected at its extending end to the lever arm which protrudes outwardly \from the male thrust Washer assembly; and means interconnecting said piston rod and said lever anm, whereby said male thrust washer and said lever arm can move both axially and in a rotary direction without binding said piston rod.

'6. A roll crusher, comprising a plurality of mutually coacting, crushing rolls mounted on respective shafts for rotation relative to one another; and fleeting means for axially shitting one roll relative to another, said fleeting 10 means including means for cyclically shifting said one roll along its axis independently of the rotation of its shaft,

and control means to regulate the operation of said means for cyclically shifting the roll along its axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 924,352 6/09 Hogue 241-205 X 956,878 5/10 Bernhard 241-231 2,610,801 9/52 Miller 241-231 X 2,660,115 11/53 Ra-s 101-248 ANDREW R. JU'HASZ, Primary Examiner. 

6. A ROLL CRUSHER, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY COACTING CRUSHING ROLLS MOUNTED ON RESPECTIVE SHAFTS FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER; AND FLEETING MEANS FOR AXIALLY SHIFTING ONE ROLL RELATIVE TO ANOTHER, SAID FLEETING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR CYCLICALLY SHIFTING SAID ONE ROLL ALONG ITS AXIS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE ROTATION OF ITS SHAFT, AND CONTROL MEANS TO REGULATE THE OPERATION OF SAID MEANS FOR CYCLICALLY SHIFTING THE ROLL ALONG ITS AXIS. 